In a rematch of the past four NBA Finals, the Cleveland Cavaliers are hosting the Golden State Warriors on Wednesday night.

Author:
Ben Axelrod

Published:
7:37 PM EST December 5, 2018

Updated:
7:37 PM EST December 5, 2018

CLEVELAND -- Welcome to the rivalry.

OK, so maybe these aren't exactly the same two teams who played in the past four NBA Finals -- especially the Cleveland Cavaliers, who are no longer with LeBron James. But it didn't take long for rookie point guard Collin Sexton to assert himself in his first career game against the Golden State Warriors on Wednesday night, sinking a 3-pointer against the 2-time defending NBA champions after opening himself up with an impressive ball fake in the first quarter.

Sexton's 3 played a key role in a hot start for the Cavs, who jumped out to an early 12-2 lead. Unfortunately for Cleveland, it didn't take long for the Warriors to show why they are still favored to win a third consecutive NBA title, as they roared back to take a 26-21 lead after what ultimately amounted to a 24-9 run.

Nevertheless, Wednesday night figures to be an intriguing test for Sexton as he measures himself against arguably the most impressive collection of talent in NBA history. Entering the matchup, the Alabama product was averaging 14.5 points on 44.2 percent shooting, including a career-high 29-point effort against one of the Warriors biggest challenger's the Golden State Warriors, less than two weeks ago.

After the first quarter, the Warriors lead the Cavs 31-25. For all the latest from Quicken Loans Arena on Wednesday night, follow our live blog and join the conversation on social media using the hashtag #3Cavs.